Hello all! I'm sorry for my lack of posting during this trip. My days are busy and I hardly ever have a chance to get in wifi so I can post! I love Berlin but I miss everyone! I wish you could all be here alongside me. The reality of the darkness in Berlin is hitting me day by day. Its a tough place for ministry, but so worth it! The most effective way to evangelize here is relationally...and this takes TIME. Especially with Germans. Relationships in itself are hard to make with Germans, they are very reserved. But, to bring faith into the equation is a whole other battlefeild. By time, I mean months and years. Unfortunately, since I am only here for a month, its been really hard to find my place in the ministry here. I recognize the need for Jesus here, but I'm not sure how I fit into that equation when really the only way to make a lasting impact on someone is to build trust. I just dont have that time. Not only that, but the language barrier is taking a HUGE toll on me. Its really hard to feel the need to talk to people and not be able to.
For the past week or so, I've been just really asking God...WHY am I here? For what purpose have you brought me all the way to Berlin if I am not able to do what I THINK ministry should look like. He's teaching me...day by day. Its taking a while to understand, but I guess I'll just have to trust. In the mean time, I've been doing tasks & cleaning around the church I'm working with, and various outreaches.
-RESET Church put on something called "Reset Live" last Saturday. It was simply a concert, featuring three songwriters. Not worship, just music and people. Very casual. We brought people into a church without actually having church! It was a great way to get people in and comfortable with Reset. I played along with 2 other artists. Such a weird experience! I'm not used to "preforming" my music. But it was a great experience and I got to meet so many nice people.
-Coffee To Go: Tuesday some Students for Christ students went out to a university here in berlin to pass out free coffee, make conversation, and invite people to "The Living Room" (SfC's tuesday night gathering). It was an interesting experience because I couldnt really interact with people since I dont speak german...I mostly just observed, smiled, and poured some coffee, ha!
-A few days ago Aaron had an idea to bake for some of our elderly neighbors. Jeanette made brownies and we went and passed them out. Such a special way to make friendships.
-Monday night I went to a lifegroup with some girls from Students for Christ. They were So welcoming. We talked about the holy spirit. But, like I said before, I dont speak German, so I literally understood none of it :) hhaha. Its great to be around these girls though and see the way Jesus moves in different countries. They have the same questions, same concerns, same hardships that I face. Its so cool.
-Yesterday the other intern (Bart from New York) and I went to a place called Der Garden (The Garden). Its a local ministry here in Berlin. We met up with other people from a group called European Initiative. There were about 20 of us total. ALOT of us from Texas, which was so refreshing to hear our accent :). We did worship and prayer together for a while which was AWESOME. Then we went out and did worship in the city.
Tonight Aaron is having about 9 people over for dinner from his language class. This is a vital way that him and Jeanette do ministry: inviting people IN and building relationships. None of these people know Jesus. I'm really excited to meet all of them!
What I have noticed so far with this trip...is that it is nothing like what I had expected. It is a very humbling experience to be in a place that you dont speak the language. You really just have to observe, and thats exactly what I've been doing. Observing the way this ministry thing works as a lifestyle, observing the way Aaron & Jeanette treat those around them, observing the gospel and what it truly means to be "a disciple" and not just a "believer", observing myself in the fact that my way of ministry is not always gods way....I'm learning so much. SO much. Its hard but so good. And I've never felt so called to my home, to my city, to my university. I cant wait to apply all the things I'm observing and learning in a place where I can actually COMMUNICATE! Jesus is working in a way I've never seen him work. Pray with me that I can understand and be obedient to the things hes teaching me! Pray that the seeds I plant, though small and seemingly insignificant sometimes, would reap a harvest and would add to Aaron & Jeanettes ministry here.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Day 3 in Berlin
Hello family & friends!
The reality that none of you are near is finally hitting me. Not a sad feeling, because I am used to independence, but its just a WEIRD feeling knowing that I am on the other side of the world from everyone. While we are getting ready for dinner, most of you are finishing up your breakfast! Such a weird thing. My mind & body were taking the toll on this jetlag thing. This morning, Jeanette & I went to the grocery store and I just could not stop yawning. On our way home, I started feeling a little queezy so I went to lay down but ended up taking a two hour nap! I guess its from my lack of sleep, but my body is feeling a little more under the weather than usual, & i've been waking up with a headache and jaw pain! So please pray for that! I want my health to stay the best that it can while I'm here!
Today I finally got back in the swing of things with my jesus time! You have no idea how great it felt to get back into that routine! It was so refreshing. It was also the first time I ventured out into Berlin on my own. Granted, the bakery I went to was a 5 minute walk from the apartment, it was still cool to go out on my own! Unfortunately, the lady at the bakery spoke zero English so I had to put a little of my german into practice, as well as ALOT of my body language & hand gestures, haha.
Jesus taught me alot today that I would love for you guys to pray over with me!
1. Germany NEEDS the Holy Spirit. Desperately. Theyve heard the whole Jesus thing, they know the "church", and dont really want anything to do with it. What we are missing here is a MOVE of the holy spirit, both supernaturally, and through the actions of the servants of Christ here. The church needs to BE the bride, through the empowering of the holy spirit.
2. Legalism is dead, grace is alive and inviting.
3. I've been so frustrated these past few days that I am unable to communicate when the german speaking people. I want so badly to be able to make conversation with the people I come in contact with as I take the bus or train, in coffee shops, on the streets, etc. Today I kinda realized that maybe this language block is so that I am able to actively be the hands and feet of Jesus, rather than through my words. People here acknowledge the fact that talk is cheap. They want to SEE that you live out the things that you believe-especially in the church. So just pray that I can find ways to show love instead of just talking about it!
Tonight we are going to a place called the Berliner Dom for a prayer night. Not really sure what to expect but I'm super excited!!! Here's
what it looks like:
The reality that none of you are near is finally hitting me. Not a sad feeling, because I am used to independence, but its just a WEIRD feeling knowing that I am on the other side of the world from everyone. While we are getting ready for dinner, most of you are finishing up your breakfast! Such a weird thing. My mind & body were taking the toll on this jetlag thing. This morning, Jeanette & I went to the grocery store and I just could not stop yawning. On our way home, I started feeling a little queezy so I went to lay down but ended up taking a two hour nap! I guess its from my lack of sleep, but my body is feeling a little more under the weather than usual, & i've been waking up with a headache and jaw pain! So please pray for that! I want my health to stay the best that it can while I'm here!
Today I finally got back in the swing of things with my jesus time! You have no idea how great it felt to get back into that routine! It was so refreshing. It was also the first time I ventured out into Berlin on my own. Granted, the bakery I went to was a 5 minute walk from the apartment, it was still cool to go out on my own! Unfortunately, the lady at the bakery spoke zero English so I had to put a little of my german into practice, as well as ALOT of my body language & hand gestures, haha.
Jesus taught me alot today that I would love for you guys to pray over with me!
1. Germany NEEDS the Holy Spirit. Desperately. Theyve heard the whole Jesus thing, they know the "church", and dont really want anything to do with it. What we are missing here is a MOVE of the holy spirit, both supernaturally, and through the actions of the servants of Christ here. The church needs to BE the bride, through the empowering of the holy spirit.
2. Legalism is dead, grace is alive and inviting.
3. I've been so frustrated these past few days that I am unable to communicate when the german speaking people. I want so badly to be able to make conversation with the people I come in contact with as I take the bus or train, in coffee shops, on the streets, etc. Today I kinda realized that maybe this language block is so that I am able to actively be the hands and feet of Jesus, rather than through my words. People here acknowledge the fact that talk is cheap. They want to SEE that you live out the things that you believe-especially in the church. So just pray that I can find ways to show love instead of just talking about it!
Tonight we are going to a place called the Berliner Dom for a prayer night. Not really sure what to expect but I'm super excited!!! Here's
what it looks like:
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Finally in GERMANY!
Well, its so crazy that I'm FINALLY in Berlin! It feels like I've been waiting forever for this day to come and my adventure in Germany has finally begun! I will be updating daily (hopefully; or-as often as possible) here on my blog. Pictures, text updates, prayer requests, etc.
I had about a 11 hour flight from DFW to Frankfurt, Germany on Monday. You can imagine how uncomfortable I was! I had a 2 hour layover in Frankfurt. While I was there, I had to get my passport approved by some police ("politzi"), and they had some fun with me. They tried to tell me I need a visa (which I dont have to have one to stay 30 days), and that I couldnt enter the country without it. You have no idea how shaken up I was! NOT FUNNY! Trying to find my gate in a German airport was scary enough! Ha. But I found it and travelled one more hour into Berlin where Aaron, Jeanette, & their precious kids: Luke & Anna met me!
The first day (yesterday) I was awake a total of like 30 hours! I was EXHAUSTED. That night, I got to visit RESET Church, which is the church I will be working with while I'm here. The college Students For Christ group met as well. I loved it! There was about 30 college students there. The night started up with a home cooked meal (sausage, potatoes, salad, & coffee), worship, a message, and then hang out time. Everyone was SO nice. I was amazed at how welcoming this group was! So many of them spoke fluent english. And not many people are actually from Berlin. Almost everyone is from somewhere around the world. In this college group alone I met people from Madagascar, Ukraine, England, etc. It sure did make me feel SMALL!
Today Jeanette took me out to see the tourist-y parts of Berlin: The Brandeburg Gate, The Reichstag, Potzdamer Platz (the 'timesquare' of Berlin: built 1990 & after), etc, and a Holocaust Memorial Museam.
I had about a 11 hour flight from DFW to Frankfurt, Germany on Monday. You can imagine how uncomfortable I was! I had a 2 hour layover in Frankfurt. While I was there, I had to get my passport approved by some police ("politzi"), and they had some fun with me. They tried to tell me I need a visa (which I dont have to have one to stay 30 days), and that I couldnt enter the country without it. You have no idea how shaken up I was! NOT FUNNY! Trying to find my gate in a German airport was scary enough! Ha. But I found it and travelled one more hour into Berlin where Aaron, Jeanette, & their precious kids: Luke & Anna met me!
The first day (yesterday) I was awake a total of like 30 hours! I was EXHAUSTED. That night, I got to visit RESET Church, which is the church I will be working with while I'm here. The college Students For Christ group met as well. I loved it! There was about 30 college students there. The night started up with a home cooked meal (sausage, potatoes, salad, & coffee), worship, a message, and then hang out time. Everyone was SO nice. I was amazed at how welcoming this group was! So many of them spoke fluent english. And not many people are actually from Berlin. Almost everyone is from somewhere around the world. In this college group alone I met people from Madagascar, Ukraine, England, etc. It sure did make me feel SMALL!
Today Jeanette took me out to see the tourist-y parts of Berlin: The Brandeburg Gate, The Reichstag, Potzdamer Platz (the 'timesquare' of Berlin: built 1990 & after), etc, and a Holocaust Memorial Museam.
^Berlin has lots of flower shops!
^There are also alot of street musicians! Today I saw quite a few in the train station.
^^ These horizontal stones trails all along the city to show where the Berlin wall used to be! So much history here!
^The Reichstag: the current, rebuilt parliament building. Formerly, it was where the German Parliament was housed. To gain power, Hitler burned it down in 1933. Only the 4 pillars remained.
^Brandenburg Gate: It is the only remaining gate of a series through which Berlin was once entered. So beautiful in person!
Memorial to the Murdered Jews...very somber piece but I loved it.
After our day's events, we had Bart (another polish intern @ SfC from New York) over for dinner, and then went out for gelato. I had kiwi :). We came home and all talked for a while about Jesus and what he's wanting to do with not only the Christ followers and church in Berlin, but back at home.
I am so excited about whats going on here & cant wait to continue to update here on my blog.
Its 11:30pm here so I should probably get ready for bed.
Pray for this ministry & for the city of Berlin!!! Love to all x
Monday, June 4, 2012
Thought: More of them..
Its been a while since my last post. My minds racing so I just thought I'd document some thoughts
1. God is so good. So so so good. I'm super thankful his ways are so much different than ours. What a hopeless place the world would be if he was like us. Its amazing to think that he literally does everything. If I try to take over, i just mess it up. Thankful that he works through us and for us.
2. I leave for camp tomorrow. I am a cabin leader for 7th grade girls. over 250 kids are attending this camp and I'm SUPER expectant for Jesus to heal people, break chains, bring his presence, and flood the place with heaven. Please be praying for these kids to EXPERIENCE Jesus...that faith would become real in their lives.
3. Ladies....you deserve so much more than a "good guy". So much more than a "good guy" who goes to church. You deserve a servant, a slave of Christ, a MAN completely sold out to Gods calling. You deserve a guy thats NOT always going to give you what you want because he's in tune enough with the holy spirit to know whats glorifying and whats not. You deserve a leader. Stop settling. Stop "waiting" for him to change. Not your job to change him, to be his crutch, to "keep him accountable in the faith". Be patient. Be focused.
1. God is so good. So so so good. I'm super thankful his ways are so much different than ours. What a hopeless place the world would be if he was like us. Its amazing to think that he literally does everything. If I try to take over, i just mess it up. Thankful that he works through us and for us.
2. I leave for camp tomorrow. I am a cabin leader for 7th grade girls. over 250 kids are attending this camp and I'm SUPER expectant for Jesus to heal people, break chains, bring his presence, and flood the place with heaven. Please be praying for these kids to EXPERIENCE Jesus...that faith would become real in their lives.
3. Ladies....you deserve so much more than a "good guy". So much more than a "good guy" who goes to church. You deserve a servant, a slave of Christ, a MAN completely sold out to Gods calling. You deserve a guy thats NOT always going to give you what you want because he's in tune enough with the holy spirit to know whats glorifying and whats not. You deserve a leader. Stop settling. Stop "waiting" for him to change. Not your job to change him, to be his crutch, to "keep him accountable in the faith". Be patient. Be focused.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
A Very Exciting Day
Today is a very exciting day because my ONE EP finally released on iTunes! You can purchase it by clicking HERE. I'm super excited about this album. This whole process has been SUCH a testimony of Gods faithfulness. I would have NEVER dreamed that anything I wrote or sang would be on iTunes. Its surreal, and I seriously still feel so inadequate! Such a humbling process to go through and its been so awesome the way Jesus has truly used the BODY to be his hands and feet. So great. ANYWAYS, I'd love it if you bought my EP and helped me get to Germany this summer to do mission work! All the songs (minus one hymn) are originals! Let me know what you think and please spread the word!
:)
:)
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